Who invented jalapeno poppers?

[et alors]

I have been googling, yahooing and wikipedia-ing and less I can learn, the more I want to know.

Where did they come from? They are so canonic now, they must have come from somewhere...

[rooftop1000]

"The origin is unclear, but they are most likely an americanized version of the classic Mexican dish, chile rellenos"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalape%C3%B1o_popper

tracey

[et alors]

"The origin is unclear, but they are most likely an americanized version of the classic Mexican dish, chile rellenos"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalape%C3%B1o_popper

tracey

←

Unfortunately I wrote that, at the end of some fairly extensive reading. I hoped it might inspire someone to correct me. See, you can't trust wikipedia.

That data came from a chowhound speculation.

I can't believe no one knows who thought, "hey I like chili rellenos, but I'm in America and I bet cream cheese would fly."

[markemorse]

I remember having them at a Mexican restaurant in Atlanta in the late 80s maybe? Time is a bit iffy, but definitely pre-1992. They weren't called poppers yet though I don't think. My parents would remember better, I'll ask them. Are you interested in where the "poppers" name came from, or the concept of mini-rellenos?

Edited November 20, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[slkinsey]

Have a look here: http://www.poppers.com/html/faq/home.asp

[andiesenji]

I can say from personal experience, that La Palapaloca, aka Bullo's Place, in Ensenada, has been serving jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese for much, much longer and this appetiser has found its way to restaurants in San Diego and on up the coast.

I was visiting Ensenada for sportfishing in the mid-to-late '60s and they were popular then. I think Hussong's also served them so it wasn't limited to one place. However we always stayed at the Corona hotel which was a couple of blocks from the pier and could walk across the street to Bullo's so that was the place with which I was most familiar.

They weren't called "poppers" in Ensenada but the name is not all that important when the knowledge of this particular "dish" has been traveling around the country for a few decades and for it suddenly to appear in the upper midwest (where fresh jalapeños were not even available earlier) is rather suspicious to me.

I think that rooftop1000 is correct in that they are a variation of the classic chile relleno but the fact is that many gringos can't handle the heat of a jal and the cream cheese reduces the heat to the point that it is tolerable for those that do not have a tin throat.

[JimH]

I used to cook them as an appetizer in a pizza place in the early 80's, it was obvious that they had been around a while.

[et alors]

I think I'm looking for a ceasar-salad type story. It's a funny thing, I don't know why I'm obsessed but when I see something that codified, I figure that had to be an ur-popper: someone must have either invented or codified it. But maybe not, maybe it was evolution. :\

[slkinsey]

My guess is that something like it (cooked cheese-stuffed jalapenos) has been around for some time and probably has no single inventor. I mean, it's not rocket science.

Their ubiquity (and the name "poppers," which is a registered trademark) probably came about when Heinz started to distribute them in frozen "ready for the fryer" form. I note that jalapeno poppers became ubiquitous right around the same time as deep fried breaded mozzarella sticks and deep fried breaded mushrooms (both also sold by Heinz under the "poppers" trademark).

[et alors]

Their ubiquity (and the name "poppers," which is a registered trademark) probably came about when Heinz started to distribute them in frozen "ready for the fryer" form.

←

That rings true.. thanks!

BTW, I also have been experimenting with homemade poppers, and think I have it down now.

http://www.nothing-new.com/food/archives/j...pers.php#004934

the combination of beer batter and panko was amazingly effective.

I certainly feel comfortable I've got Heitz beat.